The Rare, Nameless Disease
by AllenxEdward
Summary: A man named Allen Walker saves young Lavi and become friends. But what happens on Lavi's 18th birthday? Based on the Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Parental AllenxLavi.R&R
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own D. Gray Man, I really wish i did though**

Chapter 1

Lavi ran as fast as he could through the alley. He had never been so scared in his whole life, the whole 6 years of it. He ran and ran as he continued to be pursued. He stumbled into a warehouse and slammed the door behind him as he continued to run deeper into the building. He dived behind a crate and tried to calm his breathing. He heard it break down the door. _Please, Stop! Go away! God, help me!_ He heard its footsteps click as it approached.

"I found you!" The metallic voice sang as it pushed away the crate Lavi was hiding behind.

"No!" Lavi screamed as he covered his face with his hands and closed his eye.

An explosion sounded throughout the building that was accompanied with a blinding flash of light.

…

Lavi looked up at where the monster should have been, but there was none. Instead he saw a man. Lavi stood up not knowing whether to run or thank the man before him.

The man walked closer and knelt beside Lavi. "You okay?" He smiled and offered Lavi a hand.

Lavi looked as the man's hand, unsure. The hand the man was offering was gloved, but the other hand was blood red.

"It's alright, I promise, I won't bite." The man assured.

Lavi accepted the man's hand, as the man helped Lavi up and guided him out of the dimly light boxing warehouse.

"Completely safe now," the man smiled and ruffled the red head's hair.

The man looked to be about 30, yet he had snow white hair. His left eye was scarred and, as Lavi had noticed earlier, his hand was red. The man knelt beside Lavi. "What's your name? Where are your parents?"

Lavi said nothing as the man questioned him.

The man sighed, "My name's Allen Walker."

"…"

"Still nothing?"

Lavi looked away from Allen.

Allen sighed again and sat next to Lavi. "How about a new question, do you have **any** parents?"

The red head said nothing.

"Look, Kid. I can't help you if you don't help me by giving me what I need to know."

There was still nothing said from Lavi.

"I'm an orphan…"

The red head looked at him confused.

"I was alone. I hated being alone, but enough of me rambling. We could just sit here and watch the…"

"No…" Lavi whispered.

Allen raised an eyebrow.

"Please continue." Lavi finished.

"I was alone. I hated being alone. I don't know what happened to my parents. I don't know if they died, were killed, or if they just gave me away. I wouldn't be surprised if it was the last one."

"Why?" The young boy asked.

"Well for several reasons," Allen continued. "My hand is one," He held up his red arm. "The other is that I was born with a rare disease."

"What disease?'

"It's nothing important," Allen smiled.

"It has to be something if it causes your own parents to give you up."

"Your smart… what do you want to do when you grow up? I never did catch your name."

"My name's Lavi. I want to be a bookman."

"Bookman Lavi, huh?"

Lavi grinned and nodded. "I'm an exorcist!"

"Really?" Allen asked confused.

"Yeah…, but Grandpa doesn't let me carry my innocence with me. He thinks I'll lose it."

"So you live with your Grandpa?"

"Yeah, but continue your story."

"What story?"

"You know… The Story."

"…Nobody wanted me. That's pretty much it."

"Please finish it." The boy whined.

"I'll tell you when you're older."

"Why?"

"Because."

"How do you know that you'll ever see me again?"

"You see… I'm an exorcist too." Allen showed him the emblem on his cloak. "I'm a parasite-type exorcist, my hand is my innocence."

"Mine's a hammer!" Lavi stated as Allen and Lavi stood up and started walking down the alley.

They walked to an apartment building and climbed the stairs to the 3rd floor.

"Grandpa!" Lavi called as he burst through the door and jumped into the man's arms.

Bookman hugged the boy and noticed the stranger at the door. "Hello Allen."

"Hello sir." Allen nodded.

"Grandpa you know him?"

"Yes I do Lavi, yes I do…" Bookman sighed.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Lavi tied on his eyepatch and fixed his hair in the mirror.

Today was a special day, it was his birthday; his 18th birthday. He had spent all day in the library studying, but now his "surprise" party that everyone knew about, was about to begin. He looked at the dresser and on it was a box of letters that he kept that were full of letters from Allen. The last time he saw Allen, was on his 11th birthday. Allen had ruffled his red hair and given him a small box wrapped in silver paper. Inside it was a leg strap. "It's for your hammer. So you don't lose it." Allen smiled. Lavi remembered Allen's face and how it looked younger. He looked like he was in his early 20's, not his early 30's. Lavi opened the box of letters and picked the one on top.

Can't wait to see you! I'll be at your party!

Allen Walker

Lavi smiled, folded the paper and set it back in the box.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Come in!"

Bookman walked in.

"Hey," Lavi closed the box and slipped on his exorcist jacket.

"Everyone's waiting for you."

Lavi smirked. "Tell them I'm coming."

###

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Everyone exclaimed in unison as Lavi entered the Black Order's mess hall.

Lavi smiled.

Lavi had walked through the mess hall at least 24 times. Where was he? Where was Allen Walker? He saw no white hair, no scar, and no red hand as he searched.

After another 9 times through the mess hall, Lavi decided to end his search.

"Where are you going?" Lenalee asked as he attempted to walk out of the room.

"HELLO! EVERYONE!" A voice said in a sing-song way. "Where's the birthday boy?"

All eyes turned to Lavi.

Komui pushed through the crowd. "Everyone can go back to socializing now." Komui informed as the buzz of talking already commenced. "Happy birthday Lavi." Komui handed him a box.

Lavi accepted the gift and opened it to find a new head band. "Thank you." Lavi smiled as he slipped it onto his head.

"My sweet Lenalee helped to pick it out."

"Thank you." Lavi said again, this time to Lenalee, as he turned to leave.

"Someone wants to see you, Lavi."

Lavi stopped in his tracks.

"He wants to see you really bad, but he's too sick to leave his room. He wanted me to come and fetch you."

Lavi followed Komui through the crowd and out of the mess hall. They climbed the stairs till Komui stopped at a door which he knocked on.

"Hello?" Reever opened the door. He noticed Lavi, "Happy birthday Lavi."

"How is he?" Komui asked.

"Fine, right now. He's sleeping." Reever stepped aside and let the two enter.

The room was empty, except a weird looking painting of a clown carrying a coffin, a stool, and a bed. In the bed, sleeping, was a kid. He looked 14, maybe 15. He had white hair and pale skin. He had a scar that covered his left eye.

"Should I wake him up sir?"

"Yes, it's time for him to take his medication anyway."

Reever gently shook the teen's shoulder. "Allen… Allen… wake up."

The teen's eyes slowly opened and he sat up in bed and coughed.

"Allen?" Lavi asked shocked.

The teen "Allen" looked at Lavi with sleepy, gray eyes. He coughed and hacked furiously into his hand.

Reever reached over and gently patted the coughing boy's back.

After his coughing fit, he looked up. A stream of blood dribbled down his chin and in his hand was a pool of blood.

Reever cleaned the blood up and wiped the teen's mouth.

Komui handed the boy two white pills and a glass of water.

The boy swallowed the pills and drank the water. He then gave the glass back to Komui.

Komui and Reever walked out of the room, leaving Allen and Lavi.

"How…?"

Allen smiled. "Can you sit down? It feels weird looking up to you."

Lavi nodded and sat on the stool by the bed.

"Happy birthday, Lavi."

"Thanks, but…"

"Remember when I saved you from that akuma that day?"

"Yeah," Lavi nodded.

"And remember when you asked me about my past?"

"Yeah."

"Well… do you remember that there was a big part I left out and said I would tell you when you got older?"

"I do."

"Well… this is my secret."

"But… how?"

"I don't remember if my parents were killed, if they died, or if they just gave me away." Allen continued his story from so long ago. He told Lavi that he was born with an extremely rare disease where you are born old and die young. He explained that when he was young (old), he was abandoned or dropped off at a circus. At that time, he told Lavi that he was only three, but he was in a wheelchair, almost completely blind, bald, wrinkled, weak, and had arthritis in most of his body. A man named Mana Walker, he worked as a clown for the circus, took him in. Mana's brother had had the same disease as Allen and he felt bad for Allen. Mana raised him and taught him to be a clown. When Allen was only 10, he looked 90; Mana died from an illness that he had for a while. Allen was grief stricken and agreed with the Earl to resurrect Mana. Allen discovered his hand was innocence when he destroyed the Akuma Mana. He went on to become an exorcist. "And then I met you."

"What?"

"That's the end of my story."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Just asking, but how old are you?"

Allen smirked, "83."

Lavi's eyes widened.

Allen laughed which progressed into a coughing fit.

Lavi didn't know what to do.

"It's alright. I'm fine." Allen mumbled as he leaned against the pillows behind his back. "I'm dying."

"What! Don't say that!"

"But I am… Normal people don't know how old they'll get before they die. They can live to be 122, for all its worth. But me… my life's been nothing but a countdown."

"Everybody has to die. That's the way life is."

"Lavi…," Allen whispered. "You have grown up." Allen closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Hello Lavi! Just get back from your mission."

"Yes sir." Lavi said as Komui wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "We have some bad news." Komui said growing serious.

###

"What do you mean, you lost him?" Reever demanded.

"I lost him?" Johnny shrugged not knowing what to do or say.

"He's not even 3 feet tall! The only thing shorter around here in Kanda's temper."

"What happened?" Komui asked. "Where's Allen?"

Reever and Johnny looked at each other. "At the moment, we have no idea." Reever answered.

"Komui!" A voice yelled which was accompanied with grumbling and complaints. Kanda stormed down the hall. In his hand was a 6 year old looking kid. He had white hair and Kanda was holding him up by his green jacket. "What was **This **doing in the training hall?" Kanda held up the boy, who was on the verge of tears.

"Kanda! You're scaring him!" Johnny scolded.

The boy stretched his arms toward Johnny as if saying that he didn't want to be in the mean man's hands. Johnny snatched him out of Kanda's hands.

"Just don't let me catch him in the training room again. Or I'll use him as a practice dummy."

As Kanda walked away, both Johnny and Allen stuck their tongues out at him.

"Lavi… This is Allen." Komui sighed.

The white haired boy looked at Komui when his name was mentioned.

"I was only gone for a month."

"The aging process has increased greatly. He's lost most of his memory. I don't even know if he still remembers you. Allen," Komui said to the boy. "This is Lavi."

The boy looked at Lavi with his gray eyes. Johnny gave Allen to Lavi. The young Allen squirmed in Lavi's arms. Lavi set him down and Allen ran down the hall.

###

"How can we lose him again?" Johnny complained.

"Split up!" Reever ordered. "I'll take the training room."

Lavi laughed as the group split up. _One old kid out smarted three scientists_, he thought. Lavi walked into the library.

"Nnnnngh," a small voice strained.

Lavi looked at the check-out counter. The white haired boy tried and attempted to get a deck of card that were perched on the counter's ledge. He jumped, stood on his tip-toes, and stretched for the cards.

_Poor thing, he just wants to play cards._

The boy took a breather and coughed a bit after all his failed attempts for the cards. After he retained his breathe, he resumed to jumping for the cards.

Lavi sighed and shook his head. He walked over and picked up the card deck. He then kneeled in front of the kid, offering the deck.

Allen looked at his hand, unsure. He then plucked the cards from his hand and ran to a nearby table. He climbed into the chair and started shuffling the cards.

Lavi sat opposite Allen. "Do you know how to play?"

The white haired boy shook his head yes and began to deal the cards

"What we playin'?" Lavi asked.

"Poker!"

"What! You know how to play poker?"

"Yeah, I played…" Allen stopped and counted on his fingers. He grinned and held up three fingers. "I played three days ago, against the science department and won."

"What did you win?"

"Lots and lots of candy!"

Lavi laughed.

"Do you want some?" Allen reached into the pocket of his green hoodie and pulled out a piece of gum and a red lollipop.

"Are you sure?" Lavi asked accepting the red lollipop.

"Yeah! I have tons more in my room."

"Good, you found him!" Reever gasped and wheezed as he stumbled into the library. "Allen, you can't run off like that. You'll agitate your cold." Reever reached into his pocket and produced an orange bottle. "Take this Allen." He handed Allen one pill.

"I thought he had to take two of those." Lavi said confused.

"He used to… that is, since two weeks ago. If we give him any more than that, we fear overdosing him. But he isn't getting any better."

Allen unconsciously coughed as if confirming it as he looked at his hand of cards.

"Allen you need to take it." Reever scolded after noticing the pill was on the table, untouched.

"It tastes nasty." Allen whined.

"How about I go get you some grape juice for you to take it with?" Reever asked.

Allen nodded. "Yes, please."

"Okay, Lavi can you watch him."

"Okey-Dokey!" Lavi picked up his hand of cards. "You ready to lose kid?"

###

After losing terribly to Allen at least 239 times in a row, Johnny and another science department member came to commandeer the care of Allen.

Lavi was concerned when he left. Even after taking his medication, Allen still went into a coughing fit and had spat up blood.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The next night, Lavi walked to Allen's room and knocked on the door. Komui had told him to come to Allen's room.

"Hey Lavi," Reever answered. "Come in."

In the normally empty room were tons and tons of machines. Allen was hooked to most, if not all the machines.

"Lavi can you sit down, please?" Komui motioned to the stool next to his that was by Allen's bedside.

"Yes sir."

"Lavi," Komui said solemnly.

"Yes sir?"

"Allen won't make it through the night."

"…What?" Lavi whispered in disbelief.

"Spend that time with him please. He's quite attached to you." Komui stood up. "We've done everything in our power. There's nothing more we can do for him." He ushered the rest of the science division out of the room.

Lavi stood up and sat on the bed. He stroked the boy's hand and pushed back the white bangs that were in his face.

Allen opened his eyes and gave a weak smile to Lavi.

Lavi smiled back, but he felt his eyes begin to flood with tears.

"I'm sorry Lavi. We can't play tomorrow." Allen gave Lavi a sad smile and closed his eyes.

Finally, the tears came.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The tears wouldn't stop coming. They were like the flow of water after a pipe busted, fast, constant, and unrelenting.

Lavi placed the rose on the grave of the man who saved his life and the kid who made him smile.

"You know that he can see you from heaven, right?" Kanda asked as he too laid a rose on the grave.

"You knew him?"

"Yeah, I trained with him a long time ago."

"I'll miss him."

"Many people will, but I bet you will the most." Kanda sighed. "Komui wanted me to give you this." Kanda produced a letter from out of his cloak. "This is Allen's final message to you. Komui said that he wrote it after you left his room on your birthday."

Lavi took the letter and unfolded it. He read:

Lavi,

You've grown so much! I hardly recognized you, bet you didn't recognize me. I write this to you, knowing this is my last. Lavi you have been my inspiration to live since the day I saved you. I was determined to see you grow up. Now that that wish is fulfilled, I can die happily. I saw you, a strong man who is a bookman and an exorcist. I can't express my joy any further. Know, Lavi, that I will die thinking about you and that I will always be with you.

Sincerely,

Allen Walker

"Are you okay?" Kanda asked as Lavi fell to his knees and cried.


End file.
